IUBio

Question...

Jeffrey A. McCann j.mccann at worldnet.att.net
Thu Nov 2 09:58:18 EST 2000


<exo1a at my-deja.com> wrote in message news:8trrp9$1hv$1 at nnrp1.deja.com...

> Actually anthrax is not communicable, but that was a good try.

    Actually,  I am rather well trained in the emergency response to
biological and chemical terrorism, which is something I do as a member of a
US Public Health Service disaster response team.  So I do have little bit of
knowledge, although I am certainly not any kind of expert.  Nonetheless,
according to my rather faulty memory, the disease is, in fact, communicable.
Anthrax is caused by Bacillus Anthracis, a bacterium that lives naturally in
certain types of soil. The bacterium produces spores. Spores are hardy forms
of the bacterium that can survive in soil or on contaminated objects for
years.  Animals get anthrax by grazing on soils contaminated with anthrax
spores. People can get anthrax by contact with infected animals or people.
The bacteria get into the body through a break in the skin. In rare cases,
people can get anthrax by breathing in anthrax spores from contaminated soil
or animal products or by eating undercooked meat from infected animals.
Please let me know if I got this wrong.  But since you seem to have some
knowledge of the disease, why the heck do you want to know more about, and
impliedly want to culture anthrax?

    You must understand that that the obvious implication of your post is
that you are a would-be terrorist or other kind of nutcase that deserves
some close scrutiny from at least one our ever-helpful government agencies.
Indeed, it is possible that you already have garnered such attention.  Most
would also allow the possibility that you are actually trolling from one of
those agencies, just to see if that sort of dangerous and possibly criminal
activity is being fostered or aided on this NG.

    "Just curious" is hardly a satisfactory explanation under these
circumstances.  Suppose I went into a gun shop and asked which rifle and
scope would be best for killing schoolchildren at distances of 300 yards?
Maybe I'm just curious, or maybe I'm writing a novel, but I wouldn't blame
the gun shop owner from thinking I might be planning to murder little kids,
and I don't think he would be wrong to tip off the police, either.

    Would you care to enlighten us and dispel our cynical assumptions as to
your sanity, maturity, and lawfulness?

Jeff
--
=============================
Jeffrey Allen McCann, P.A.
Attorney at Law
200 East Government St, Suite 130
Pensacola, FL  32501
(850) 436-8404
=============================







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